Charged Once, Twice, Three Times for Strangulation and Assault

34 year-old Blake Ellis is in the Missoula County Jain on $50,000 bail times three.

During his Justice Court appearance on Friday, Deputy Missoula County Attorney Caitlin Williams told Judge Marie Andersen that Ellis had three separate charges of strangulation and partner or family member assault on the same victim.

“This defendant is appearing today on three separate cases for his initial appearance on each, and the State’s recommendation will be the same for all three,” said Williams. “Separate bonds of $50,000 to run consecutively. All three of these cases are involving PFMA and strangulation charges, all involving the same victim. Since April this defendant has strangled the same victim on at least three separate occasions and subjected her to multiple assaults and abusive behavior.”

Williams said that drugs play a part in the abuse, as well.

“The victim reports that methamphetamine and other drug use is a substantial issue,” she said. “Based on the fact that the defendant had run from the area on all three occasions and was finally found in this case, leads to limited other information about his drug use.”

Ellis’ public defender asked that he be released on his own recognizance, but Judge Anderson imposed bail of $50,000 to run consecutively on all three complaints against Ellis.